Foot-guard for switches



(No-Model.) v

J; H. PFL-IEGER. FOOT GUARD FOR SWITCHES.

No. 463,074. Patented-Nov. 10, 1891;

WITNESSES:

UNITEB STATEs PATENT twice...

JOHN H. PFLIEGER, OF JOHNSTOVVN, PENNSYLVANIA.

FOOT- GUARD FOR SWlTCHES.

SEPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 463,074, datedNovember 10, 1891.

Application filed April 11, 1891. Serial No. 388,460. (No model.)

T0 10/7/0777, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. PFLIEGER, of

Johnstown, in the county of Cambria and.

State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Foot-Guards for Switches; and I do hereby declare that the'followingis a full, clear, and exact de scription of the invention, which willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, which form part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in railway-switches, andmore particularly to improvements in foot-guards for railway-switches.

The object of the invention is to provide a railway-switch with animproved automatic foot-guard automatically operated by the movement ofthe switch, so as to alternately close the space between its oppositeswitchtongues and main rails. These objects are accomplished by and thisinvention. consists in certain novel features'of construction and incombinations of parts, more fully described hereinafter, andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of therailway-switch having this invention, showing main and side track rails.Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the switch, and Fig. 3 is across-section of the switch swung in the opposite direction.

In the drawings, reference-letters a a indicate the main-track rails.

b b indicate the side-track rails.

0 indicates the cross-ties of sleepers on which the rails are mounted.

d indicates the two similar switcl1-tongues, respectively hinged to theend of inner side rail 1) and to opposite main-track rail (1, so as toswing laterally upon the cross-ties to alternately leave spaces betweena switch-tongue and maintrack rail a on one side and the oppositeswitch-tongue and side rail 11, forming continuation of the main track.The two switch-tongues are connected to swing together by the cross-barse, one of which can be extended, (see f,) to which the operatingmechanism (not shown) of the switch can be attached.

To the side of each switch-tongue adjacent to the rail a plate g, aboutequal in length to the switch-tongue, is at its upper edge hinged to theupper portion of the switch-rail just beneath the tread, so as to swingup llOllzontally or vertically in against the web, so that the tonguecan fit snuglyin its usual position against: the rail. These plates formthe foot-guards, and whichever way the switch is swung one of the plateswill be held in the raised horizontal position, closing the open spacebetween switch-tongue and adjacent rail, while the other plate will befolded in against its switch-tongue, so that the switchtongue can fitclose against its adjacent rail. These plates are held and operatedautomatically by the spring-bars 72, extending transversely beneath thetrack and each having its opposite ends bent up and hinged,respectively, to the outer edges of the footguard plates. The severalbars h are, relatively to the switch, held by suitable means, asbysecuring to downweirdly-extending rigid arms 2' from the plate j,located between the rails transversely above said bars 7b, and securedto the sleepers by screws, bolts, or the like m, passing throughtransverse slots 1, as shown, so that the plate can be adjusted. Theouter ends of bars h are formed and bent up so as to spring vertically.Thus when flange of a passing wheel engages the foot-guard, which israised up to close the opening between one tongue and rail, the saidplate will be pressed down sufficiently to allow the flanges of thewheel to pass, the spring of the bar immediately returning the plate toits normal position. The plate 3' being held stationary relatively tothe switch, the foot-guard plates are automatically raised and loweredwhen the switch-tongues are swung by means of the spring-bars beforedescribed, as the said spring-bars are held stationary bysaid plate.

0 indicates spring-guard plates between the stationary portions of theends of side and main track rails, upheld by coil-springs. (Not hereshown.)

The many advantages and great utility of this invention are obvious, inview of the many accidents caused by persons catching their feet inswitches.

It is evident that various changes might be made in the forms,constructions, and an rangements of parts described without de- "partingfrom the spirit and scope of my invention. IIence I do not- Wish tolimit myself to the exact construction shown.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to claim, andsecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a railroad-switch, a switch-tongue having a foot-guard carriedthereby and moving therewith.

2. A railway-switch tongue having a footguard carried thereby and hingedthereto, and means for automatically raising and lowering the footguardwhen the tongue is swingin g.

3. The switchtongues moving together, swinging foot-guards carriedthereby, and conuections between the foot-guards, whereby one guard israised and the other lowered when the switch is thrown in one direction,and vice versa when the switch is thrown in opposite direction.

4. A switch tongue or rail, in combination with a plate longitudinallyhinged to the side thereof adjacent to the rail to assume a horizontalposition or fold against the switch-rail,

and connections secured to said plate arranged to swing the plate to thehorizontal position when the tongue or railis swung from said adjacentrail and to fold the same when 0 the tongue is swung toward adjacentrail.

5. The combination, with the switch, of the foot-guard longitudinallyhinged to the outer sides of the rails, and the spring-bars heldstationary relatively to said switch and at 5 their opposite ends hingedto outer edges of said guards, substantially as described.

6. The combinationlwith the switch, of the foot-guards hinged to railsthereof, the transverse bars beneath the switch having their 40 outerends bent up and hinged, respectiveij to outer edges of said guards, anda stationary plate to which said bars are secured, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as 45 my own I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

